Better tanks for tricky situations

We've added Fiber Technology Corp. to our linecard. They're makers of modular FRP tanks for potable water, stormwater, and process-type applications. They can be slab-mounted, roof-mounted, or elevated, in sizes ranging from 250 gallons to more than 2.5 million gallons.

A few key points: The tanks are resistant to wear, including in tough applications like brine. They require no painting or inspections for rust (eliminating most of the life-cycle maintenance costs associated with other tanks). And some of the first tanks installed are still in service after 40 years.

Another important feature: Since FTC tanks are modular, the panels can be assembled inside existing facilities, in whatever shape is necessary to fit the existing space. So, for example, if you were trying to place a tank inside a basement area with existing foundational columns, the modular panels could be carried through existing doorways and assembled in the room, around the columns. These tanks could be real life-savers for rehabilitation projects at decades-old WTPs and WWTPs, not to mention as substitutes or replacements for steel or glass-lined tanks.

As always, contact us for more information in whatever way is most convenient for you. Brochures, supporting documents, estimates, drawings, and specs are all available at your request.

Pumping grit isn't that hard

We apply Gorman-Rupp pumps to a lot of applications pumping grit -- directly out of grit traps, as well as in other similar high-solids applications. The Super T and Ultra V Series pumps are fantastic for this kind of application, because they can work on a suction lift or on a flooded suction, and they are exceptionally easy to maintain.

There's no application quite like a headworks pumping installation to put a pump through the worst of its solids-handling paces, so the ease of accessing the impeller directly through the removable cover plate on a Gorman-Rupp self-priming pump makes a world of difference in reducing downtime and keeping the pump in service. Other pumps can only be serviced by moving the piping leading into the pump, and that's no way to operate a modern facility.

One of the recurring questions we encounter in grit service is what kind of material to use for the wetted parts inside the pump. Pumping grit is a lot like subjecting it to a constant sandblast. The default assumption in many engineers' minds is that the harder the parts, the better.

Don't make that assumption.

Hardening the parts does help to resist wear -- up to a point. But beyond a certain degree of hardness, metals tend to become brittle. For comparison, think of ceramics -- they're often extremely hard, but they also tend to shatter. You wouldn't want to get hit in the head with a ceramic vase, but you don't want to drop that vase on the floor, either.

The right metals for grit service are those that reach the optimal balance between hardness and strength. We have found Gorman-Rupp's specially-hardened ductile iron to be the best fit for the vast majority of municipal grit applications. It measures well on the Brinell hardness scale, but it also delivers much higher tensile and yield strengths than other materials that are very hard but also brittle.

In certain extreme-wear applications, Gorman-Rupp can deliver entire pump casings in this treated ductile iron, ensuring extraordinary service life in the toughest situations.

For those who are so inclined, we can offer a deep dive into the details comparing the different grades of metal available. But for most people the lesson is this: Hardness is valuable, but only up to a point. Be sure the metals you put into service have the right tensile and yield strengths -- you don't want to sacrifice strength just for the sake of going overboard for hardness.

Happy 2018!

Happy New Year! We look forward to a great year ahead, with a range of projects both large and small already on our agenda. If at any time we can do more to serve you better, please don't hesitate to contact us.

When $1.00 today is worth $2.50 tomorrow

IA-WEA meets in Ottumwa this week

We are looking forward to the IA-WEA convention in Ottumwa this week. In addition to exhibiting in the vendor hall on Wednesday (come see us!), we will also have two presentations to share with attendees. On the management track, come see "When $1 Today is Worth $2.50 Tomorrow" on Wednesday at 2:25. On the collection systems track, we will present "Backup Systems for Critical Pumping Applications" at 2:20 on Thursday.

Our booth will feature several items for you to see and touch, as well as some great giveaway items from Gorman-Rupp and Homa.